Strip handling apparatus



1965 c. c. BLACKMAN ETAL 3,218,009

STRIP HANDLING APPARATUS z Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 N 5 5% K Y RK E .r m6 W mm a 0 V B S J T m m. m CSH )H N J T V N E Lww @JR Nov. 16, 1965 c. c. BLACKMAN ETAL STRIP HANDLING APPARATUS z Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 mm an iiiiiqiii United States Patent Ofiice 3,218,000 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 This invention relates to the handling of strip metal and more particularly to improve apparatus for handling strip metal as it is being fed to or unwound from a loose or open coil disposed with its axis vertical.

In the so-called open coil process for treating coils of strip metal, which is described in the copending United States Patent application of Lee Wilson and E. A. Corns,

" Serial No. 639,939, filed February 13, 1957, now Patent No. 3,114,539, tight wound coils of strip metal (commonly steel) are recoiled into open form with their laps spaced apart. While in open condition the coil is main- .tained with its axis vertical and may be subjected to various procedures such as annealing, carburizing, chromizing, etc.

In order to facilitate further handling after such processing the open coils are normally rewound back into tight form and it is an object of the present invention to .provide apparatus for rewinding an open coil of strip metal, suported with its axis vertical, back into a tight coil which is disposed with its axis horizontal whereby handling thereof is facilitated. A further object of our invention is the provision of apparatus for changing the plane of a moving strip of metal from vertical at a point adjacent an open coil of the strip to horizontal, or vice .versa, the strip, when in a horizontal plane, being available without intermediate tight coiling for other processing steps such as tight coiling, temper rolling, con tinuous galvanizing, etc.

. The above and other objects of my invention will appear from the following descriptions of one embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a more or less schematic plan view of apparatus in accordance with our invention and adapted "[Q recoil open coils of strip metal back into tight coil form;

" FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating the adjustable edge guide.

As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 the open coil turntable 1 is rotatably supported with its axis vertical on the sup- .porting and driving means indicated at 2. This turntable support and drive means 2 is adapted to rotate the turntable 1 at variable speed in a well-known manner whereby variations in coil diameter, lap spacing and strip gage may be compensated for.

An open coil 3 of strip S is illustrated in the turntable 1 with the length of strip adjacent the outside lap of coil 3 running over a tension controlling device generally indictated at 4 and through pinch rolls 5 and a pair of said guides 6 which maintain the strip in a vertical plane and cause it to travel in the proper lineal direction. A pair of driven vertical axis rolls 7 and 8, spaced from the turntable 1, frictionally engage and drive the strip S and hold it in vertical position as it is in the open coil 3 on turntable 1.

A horizontal strip support and guide means includes the horizontal axis guide roll 9 and a coacting guide roll 10 supported in suitable hearings in the frame 11 which is mounted in a pit, generally indicated at 12, below the floor level 13 above which the turntable 1 is supported. For reasons which will be later explained, the bottom of roll 9, which is the surface on its periphery which is offset the greatest distance vertically from the surface of turntable 1 on which open coil 3 and the top surface of roll 10 are supported, is illustrated as vertically offset from said surface a distance equal to about one and onehalf times the width of strip S.

As clearly seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the strip S leaves the rolls 7 and 8 traveling in one direction in a vertical plane. Between the vertical axis rolls 7 and 8 and the horizontal axis rolls 9 and 10, which have their axes extending substantially in the same direction as the direction of travel of the strip as it approaches and leaves the rolls 7 and 8 but which, as described above, are disposed below and out of vertical alignment with the turntable 1, the strip S is given a twist (indicated at T) through whereby the strip, as it enters and as it leaves (FIGURES 1 and 2) the rolls 9 and 10, is disposed in a horizontal plane and is traveling in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of travel of the strip as it leaves the rolls 7 and 8 before it enters the twist T.

In order to insure the strips of different widths will be so guided to the rolls 9 and 10 that the center line of the strip will lie substantially at the center (axially) of the rolls, a pair of adjustable edge guides 20 and 21 are provided. These guides extend in the direction of strip travel and are carried on supporting brackets 20' and 21, respectively (see FIG. 3). The guide bar 22 is carried by the fixed frame 23 which also rotatably supports the double screw 24 which has oppositely threaded end portions 24 and 24". The lower ends of brackets 20' and 21' are provided with bushings 20" and 21" which have threaded engagement with the ends 24 and 24" of screw 24, respectively. The handwheel 25 on the end of double screw 24 is adapted to rotate same whereupon, depending on the direction'of rotation, the edge guides 20 and 21 will be either simultaneously moved inwardly toward each other or outwardly away from each other. It will be understood that when these guides are once set to the width of the strip being handled they need not be readjusted until a different size strip is to be handled.

A horizontal axis tension drum 14 is carried by suitable suporting and drivng means 15 and a series of horizontal axis idler guide rolls 16 may be suitably mounted in the pit 12 to support the strip S in its travel from the guide rolls 9 and 10 to the tension drum 14 which is mounted at the floor level 13. When the strip S leaves tension drum 14 it passes, in a direction opposite to its travel to the drum 14, to the rotatable mandrel M of the coiler unit generally indicated at C. The mandrel M is driven by a motor 17 through a suitable gear box 17 and the coiler unit is provided with the usual and we1l-known variable speed controls.

Assuming now that it is desired to recoil an open coil back into tight coil form, the open coil is placed on the turntable 1 and a length of strip from the outside of the coil is led over the tension control device 4, through the pinch rolls and side guides 5 and 6, through the vertical 'axis rolls 8, and then down through the 90 twist T to the horizontal axis guide rolls 9 and 10'. From the rolls 9 and 10 the strip, which now is disposed horizontally as distinguished from its vertical disposition at rolls 7 andv 8, travels over the idler rolls 16 and around the tension drum 14 which is preferably provided with a snubber roll 19 for holding the strip in contact with its underside.

After moving around approximately of the surface of the tension drum 14 the strip moves back, in a direction opposite to its travel between rolls 910 and tension drum 14, to the coiler unit C. The end of the strip is secured to the mandrel M and, by properly controlling and varying the speeds of rotation of the turntable 1, the drum l4, and the mandrel M, the strip may be unwound from the loose coil 3 and wound back into a tight coil 18 on the mandrel M.

By twisting the strip as seen at T through a free or floating twist of approximately 90 in Which the strip follows its natural path, the strip is not subjected to substantial forces on its edges tending to stretch or compress same during the change in strip direction and plane of travel. Although the strip in twist T is shown as unguided and unsupported it will be understood that, if desired, one or more guide rolls, disposed at the proper angles, may be interposed between rolls 7-8 and 9-10. It is also pointed out that the loop of strip forming the twist T may be utilized in controlling the speed of rotation of turntable 1 by drive means 2. Any well-known means may be employed whereby, if the loop gets larger the turntable will be speeded up and, if the loop gets smaller, the turntable will be slowed down.

It has been previously noted that, as shown in the drawings, the vertical distance from the coil supporting surface of the turntable 1 to the bottom of roll 9 is approximately one and one-half times the width of the strip S. It has been determined that in order to prevent undesired stresses from being imposed on the strip, and particularly the edge portions thereof, during the twisting operation, the distance in which the vertical 90 twist is completed should be not less than about one and onehalf times the Width of the strip being handled and not more than about four times the width of the strip being handled. When smaller vertical spacing is used the strip tends to develop coil breaks or stress marks and, if a substantially greater spacing than noted above is employed, the great unsupported length of strip during the twist may produce undesirable fluttering or vibration which would need a large number of guide rolls to control.

A second pair of adjustable edge guides 20 and 21, like those disposed ahead of the rolls 9 and 10 and previously described, are supported just ahead of the tension drum 14 so that the strip, whatever its width, will be properly guided with its center line lying substantially at the axial center of the drum.

On the drawings the arrows indicate the strip as traveling from the loose or open coil 3 on turntable 1 to the tight coil 18 on mandrel M. It will be understood, however, that, if desired, our strip twisting apparatus may be utilized to handle strip metal while being coiled into an open coil, either from a tight coil or from another previous step, in which event the strip will travel toward rolls 9-10 in a direction opposite to the arrows shown on the drawings.

It will be observed from the above description of one embodiment of our apparatus that by providing means for guiding the strip through a single twist of approximately 90 the necessity for providing a pair of vertical axis turntables and the necessary means for handling both tight and open coils with their axes vertical while placing same on and removing from these turntables, is eliminated. By utilizing our improved strip twisting apparatus the tight coils can be handled in the normal horizontal axis position by the means ordinarily available and used for handling coils in the mill. Furthermore our strip twisting apparatus, without the tension drum 14 and recoiler unit C, is readily adapted to twist a moving metal strip, which lies horizontally as it leaves a particular processing step, into vertical position for direct open coiling without intermediate tight coiling, or vice versa.

Although we have described the illustrated embodiment of our invention in considerable detail it will be understood that variations and modifications may be made in the for. 31 d arrangement of the several elements making up our improved apparatus. We do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact structure herein shown and described but claim as our invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for handling strip metal, a rotatable vertical axis coil supporting surface of said turntable having a coil supporting surface adapted to support a coil of strip metal thereon, vertical support and guide means for guiding a length of strip adjacent the outside lap of a coil on said turntable to travel in one direction while maintaining said length of strip in a vertical plane, and a horizontal guide roll having its axis extending horizontally substantially in said one direction and out of vertical alignment with said turntable whereby strip extending through said vertical support and guide means and over said horizontal guide roll will be twisted therebetween from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane, said horizontal guide roll having its strip engaging periphery vertically offset from said coil supporting surface of said turntable by a distance equal to from about one and onehalf to about four times the width of the strip with which the appartus is to be used.

2. In apparatus for handling strip metal, a rotatable vertical axis turntable having a coil supporting surface adapted to support a coil of strip metal thereon, vertical support and guide means for guiding a length of the strip adjacent the outside lap of a coil on said turntable t travel in one direction while maintaining said length of strip in a vertical plane, a horizontal guide roll having its axis extending horizontally substantially in said one direction and below said coil supporting surface of said turntable whereby strip extending through said vertical support and guide means and over said horizontal guide roll will be twisted therebetween from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane and will travel in a direction substantially at right angles to said one direction, horizontal axis tension drum means having its axis parallel to the axis of said horizontal guide roll and spaced from said guide roll, and a rotatable horizontal axis mandrel having its axis parallel to the axes of said horizontal guide roll and tension drum and being disposed therebetween.

3. In apparatus for handling strip metal, a rotatable vertical axis turntable having a coil supporting surface adapted to support a coil of strip metal thereon, vertical support and guide means for guiding a length of strip adjacent the outside lap of a coil on said turntable to travel in one direction while maintaining said length of strip in a vertical plane, a horizontal guide roll having its axis extending horizontally substantially in said one direction and out of vertical alignment with said coil supporting surface of said turntable whereby strip extending through said vertical support and guide means and over said horizontal guide roll will be twisted therebetween from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane and will travel in a direction substantially at right angles to said one direction, said horizontal guide roll having its periphery vertically offset from said coil supporting surface of said turntable by a distance equal to from about one and onehalf to about four times the width of the strip with which the apparatus is to be used, horizontal axis tension drum means having its axis parallel to the axis of said horizontal guide roll and spaced from said guide roll, and a rotatable horizontal axis mandrel having its axis parallel to the axes of said horizontal guide roll and tension drum and being disposed therebetween.

4. In apparatus for handling strip metal, a rotatable vertical axis turntable having a coil supporting surface adapted to support a coil of strip metal thereon, vertical support and guide means for guiding the strip adjacent the outside lap of a coil on said turntable to travel in one direction while miantaining said strip in a vertical plane, and horizontal guide means having an elongated strip engaging surface having its length extending horizontally substantially in said one direction and out of vertical alignment with said coil supporting surface of said turntable whereby strip extending through said vertical support and guide means and over said horizontal guide means will be twisted therebetween from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane and its direction of travel changed by about 90.

5. Apparatus for handling strip metal as defined in claim 4 including a pair of edge guides disposed adjacent said horizontal guide means, and means for adjustably moving said edge guides toward or away from each other to accommodate strip of diiferent widths.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Winterhalder 242-76 X Hofer 24278.7 Asbury et a1. 24-2--78.1 Jonassen 24-267.2 Reza Bek et al, 242-55.21 Delafontaine 24278.1 X Blackman 242-786 Ward 242-67.2

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRIP METAL, A ROTATABLE VERTICAL AXIS COIL SUPPORTING SURFACE OF SAID TURNTABLE HAVING A COIL SUPPORTING SURFACE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A COIL OF STRIP METAL THEREON, VERTICAL SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS FOR GUIDING A LENGTH OF STRIP ADJACENT THE OUTSIDE LAP OF A COIL ON SAID TURNTABLE TO TRAVEL IN ONE DIRECTION WHILE MAINTAINING SAID LENGTH OF STRIP IN A VERTICAL PLANE, AND A HORIZONTAL GUIDE ROLL HAVING ITS AXIS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY SUBSTANTIALLY IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND OUT OF VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TURNTABLE WHEREBY STRIP EXTENDING THROUGH SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS AND OVER SAID HORIZONTAL GUIDE ROLL WILL BE TWISTED THEREBETWEEN FROM A VERTICAL PLANE INTO A HORIZONTAL PLANE, SAID HORIZONTAL GUIDE ROLL HAVING ITS STRIP ENGAGING PERIPHERY VERTICALLY OFFSET FROM SAID COIL SUPPORTING SURFACE OF SAID TURNTABLE BY A DISTANCE EQUAL TO FROM ABOUT ONE AND ONEHALF TO ABOUT FOUR TIMES THE WIDTH OF THE STRIP WITH WHICH THE APPARATUS IS TO BE USED. 